


For A Child

by Bittodeath



Series: Prompts [17]
Category: Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Gen, Happy Ending, Mandalorian Obi-Wan Kenobi, Planet Melida | Daan (Star Wars), Points of View, Time Skips, Tumblr Prompt, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:01:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27827947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bittodeath/pseuds/Bittodeath
Summary: Written for the prompt: Random haat mando'ade gets stuck in melida-daan during the time obi is there and call reinforcements cause they killing ade.Obi gets adopted AU.
Series: Prompts [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1865308
Comments: 42
Kudos: 672
Collections: Anything But Qui-Gon, I love you so





	For A Child

**Author's Note:**

> Rhet and Ashya are Togrutas; Arkan is a Zabrak.
> 
> Recurring Mando'a:  
>  _Mando'ad/e_ : Mandalorian/s.  
>  _buir/e_ : parent/s.  
>  _riduur/e_ : spouse/s.  
>  _ad/e_ : child/ren.  
>  _cyare_ : beloved.  
>  _Mand'alor_ : Mandalorian leader.

Rhet slid behind a half-destroyed wall. _Ade_. Those _hut'uune demagolkase_ were killing _ade_. The little ones that shouldn't even be fighting. Ever since his ship got karked up and he found himself stuck on this miserable planet, war had been raging. But it had taken him some time to realize that, aside from the Melida and the Daan, _ade_ were fighting as well. He pulled his helmet off to throw up, wiped his mouth and put his buy'ce back on.

They were smart, too. Never leaving their dead behind, so their enemies had no idea how many they were. They shouldn't have to be. They should be home, with their parents, laughing and playing and learning... Not half-starving as they fought grown adults. This was so wrong, and he couldn't be much help just by himself. They didn't even seem to trust adults - with reason.

A year ago, this would have been a lot simpler. He would have contacted the _Mand'alor_ , and asked for help bringing things to heel and help the children. But with the _Haat Mando'ade_ decimated at Galidraan and the _Mand'alor_ gone, he didn't exactly have a house anymore. At least, he had a clan. That was more than many could claim. Many _Haat Mando'ade_ survivors had lost absolutely everything in the slaughter. Like young Wad'e, who found himself fending for himself and his two younger _vode_ after his whole clan was decimated - _buire_ and older _vode_ included.

Shaking himself, he focused on what he had to do. Contact his _riduure_. Ashya and Arkan would provide back-up. They could even, maybe, gather enough people to stop this massacre and help the _ade_ the way they should be. True _Mando'ade_ defended children, no matter where they came from.

He was still huddling behind his wall, waiting for the storm to pass, when they attacked. He stared in fascinated horror as the kids, masked, with their hair covered, shot with scary accuracy. One especially, who wasn't very tall but had the gangliness of teenage years, always shot true and led them with fluid grace. This one had been trained, Rhet could see it. Still, even if he had reached the traditional age for a _verd'goten_ , that still made him far too young to be leading child-soldiers on the battlefield.

They disappeared just as they'd come - in a cloud of dust, hiding their moves. Rhet was reluctantly impressed. Without knowing which way they went, it was nearly impossible to discover them. He'd have to play this carefully. Once the calm had come back, he made his way over to the remainders of his ship - it couldn't fly for shit, but it could still send comms. The connection establishes, and Ashya's face appears, smiling.

"Rhet! You're late, we were worried!"

" _Cyare_. Listen carefully, this is very important..."

#

"There's something going on", Nield said, and Obi-Wan nodded.

He had a feeling... The Force was warning him: something big was about to happen. He'd spent six weeks living and fighting with the Young, and this feeling... That something was good, but it wasn't bad. Not necessarily good either, but at least it wasn't another disaster waiting to happen.

"Ships! There are ships incoming!" one of their sentinels called, out of breath.

"Ships? How many? What kind?"

"Many, many ships!" the sentinel said, their eyes shining. "I don't know from where they're from!"

Obi-Wan made his way to the sentry point and looked through the binoculars, breath catching in his throat. There were _at least_ twenty ships there, if not thirty. And they were not small ships either, but quite large ones. Meant to transport quite a number of people. The most worrying information, though, was the provenance of those ships. Mandalore. Those were all Mandalorian ships. He pulled the binoculars down, his hands trembling.

"Mandalorians", he breathed. "There are Mandalorians coming down."

"I heard they're great warriors", Cerasi said, taking the binoculars from his hand. "We could use the help, if they are willing to give it."

"They're mercenaries", Obi-Wan answered. "We don't exactly have the resources to pay them."

"If they help us take the power back and stop the war, there would be resources available to pay them", Nield pointed out.

Obi-Wan could see quite a number of obvious flaws in that plan, but he decided not to shred their hopes to pieces. He wondered why they were there. Most ships avoided the planet, aware of its centuries-long war. It was a dangerous place to resupply to. The most likely explanation was that they had a contract there, and he felt dread at who could afford their services.

"Alright", he breathed. "I'll go in reconnaissance, see why they're here. You stay back, it could be dangerous."

Sneaking around was deceptively easy, even as both Melida and Daan started to come forward to see what was going on. Obi-Wan saw way more medicine and stacks of food than weapons, the whole heavily guarded. It was harder to get a feel on the Mandalorians - they were angry and determined, but some were completely unreadable, muffled by something. The Old were greeted with blasters to the face and anger shoved to them, making them hastily retreat. Right, not friendly.

"If you sneak around like that, you'll end up getting shot, you know", a voice said teasingly.

Obi-Wan jumped in fright - he hadn't felt them approach, even in the Force - and scrambled away from the armoured figure looming over him. His heart was beating madly.

#

Rhet hadn't meant to frighten the kid, who was now backing away. He held his head up to look less threatening.

"Didn't meant to scare you, _verd'ika_ ", he said. "C'mon up", he said, offering a hand to help him up.

The kid accepted it, standing straight even though he radiated fear. He had a blaster to his belt, and between the hair-cover and the mask, his eyes were blue-green. He was human, or near-human, with the pale skin of a blond or a red-head.

"You kids got curious 'bout the ships, uh", he said. "I'm Rhet, clan Driss, House Mereel. We've come to help you."

"Help us?" the kid asked suspiciously.

Rhet removed his helmet as a show of trust, smiling with his special human smile - the one where he didn't show his teeth. It made them nervous. His mates, thankfully, were predator species too.

"Yeah. I noticed you fighting the adults. Protecting children is a big part of our culture", he explained. "I asked my mates for backup to help you... The others showed up when they heard child-soldiers were involved", he said. "We've got medical supplies and food, I'm pretty sure you need them."

"What do you want in exchange?" the boy - he had a boy's voice, at least - asked, eyes squinted in suspicion.

" _Verd'ika_ ", Rhet replied softly. "Children are the future. That's all there is. You shouldn't have to fight. We're here to pick it up."

"We fight for peace. We have nothing to offer in exchange for your help", the boy insisted.

"It is a good thing to fight for", Rhet says with a nod. "You have nothing to fear from us", he added. "Please. Bring your wounded so we can treat them, and get your leaders to coordinate with us, at least."

That seemed to be an acceptable compromise, and the little one scrambled away, quickly out of sight.

The boy came back that evening, and pulled his mask down, showing his face. A gesture of trust. They'd been sending teams out for reconnaissance all day, and yet the kid had still appeared out of nowhere.

"If that offer still stands", he said. "The younger ones would be safer with you", he finished, and Rhet's breath caught in his throat when children started to arrive.

Some bearing others on makeshift stretchers. All under ten. Rhet directed a few _Mando'ade_ to take the children to be treated, still surprised to be listened to like this. Nearly all who survived Galidraan answered his call. Then, there were the Old Clans, who came in number. Some who put aside their New Mandalorians ideals to save children. Even some of Death Watch, though less numerous. There hadn't been such a gathering since the disaster of Galidraan.

The oldest children wanted to fight still. For the peace of their world. The _Mando'ade_ could understand that, and allowed all over thirteen to join the fight - though they'd been put in low-risk stations. To Rhet's dismay, the boy he had noticed and spoken to was one of them.

His name was Obi-Wan Kenobi, he was fourteen, and the _ka'ra_ was with him.

#

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. The fight was over. They had forced the Melida and the Daan to sit down and talk about peace, and Cerasi was leading negotiation, with Nield to help her, and an older Mandalorian. Obi-Wan had stayed behind to help evacuate the wounded and the dead. There were many of them, but it was far less a disaster than it could have been. And the Mandalorians hadn't just helped with the fight - their goal was to make sure the children would be alright. They helped reunite them with their families, or talked about what arrangements could be made in case that wasn't possible. Several had already adopted orphans from the Young, who would leave Melida-Daan with them.

Obi-Wan was left... unmoored. What he had set out to do was done, but now, he was left without a goal. Without even a home. He could try going back to the Jedi. They'd probably send him to the Corps, and after that... It would be a relief.

"So, tell me, Obi-Wan. We've made arrangements for everyone. What about you? Do you have family left here?"

"I'm not from here", Obi-Wan replied instinctively.

"Obi-Wan is a Jedi!" Aalto replied with a toothy smile, with all the certainty of his five years old.

Tension climbed and Rhet's armour creaked.

"A _Jeti'ika_? Surely they don't send you alone so young? Without your _kad'au_ , might I add."

"No, I-" Obi-Wan gulped. "I left. I left the Order."

"Then how come you're here?"

It was Cerasi who answered.

"Obi-Wan and Master Jinn were sent by the Senate, to make peace-talks happen between the Melida and the Daan. Master Jinn left, Obi-Wan decided to stay and help us."

There was a long moment of silence, then one of the few Death Watch, Elath Wren, blurted out:

"And he left you behind? An _ad'ika_ , left behind in a war zone?"

That made several growl, and Obi-Wan turned crimson in shame.

"It's not like that!" he protested.

"I'm going to ask, because I need to: do you want to go back? To the Jedi?" Rhet put a finger against his lips before he could answer. "Let me finish. If you don't want to, or if you feel trapped... My _riduure_ and I, we'd be very proud to adopt you as our child. Otherwise, we'll bring you to the place of your choice."

"Can I-"Obi-Wan gulped. "Can I think about it?"

"Of course", Rhet answered warmly. "We're not leaving yet. Take your time."

Obi-Wan disappeared for several hours. When he came back, he had a small bag on his shoulder, and his head held high. Rhet smiled, his spouses at his side.

"I'm coming with you", he declared.

Ashya brushed her hand through his hair, and opened her arms for him when his chin started to wobble. He crashed into her armour and she held him tight as he sobbed heavily into her neck.

" _Ni kar'tayli gai sa'ad_, Obi-Wan", Rhet declared. " _Olarom o'r Driss aliit_. Come, Ob'ika."

#

"Argh!", Obi-Wan said dramatically, flopping back, and Anakin laughed, climbing over him and diligently digging his bony knees into his ribs and stomach.

"These two get on like house on fire", Arkan said, shaking his head, and Rhet laughed.

"You brought Anakin back", Ashya pointed out, smiling as well. "Look at him. Look at them. They're happy, safe and loved."

" _Buir_ ", Anakin called when he was that Ashya was back, running up to them and slamming into her armour. "I missed you!"

"And I missed you too", Ashya answered, pressing their foreheads together.

Obi-Wan followed at a much more measured pace, but he was just as eager to hug his mother as Anakin was.

"Did it go well?"

" _'Lek_ ", she replied. "C'mon, while Arkan makes us some _shig_ , I'll tell you all about it."

" _Mand'alor_!" someone called, and Ashya sighed.

"Duty calls", she said. "Go on, start without me."

Obi-Wan nodded, and smirked as he tapped his fist on his chest, bowing slightly.

" _Mand'alor_."

"Shush, you", Ashya smiled. "And don't forget to get the customary presents to meet your suitors."

Obi-Wan's face turned into a well-honed pout, and Arkan laughed, jostling him.

"Don't pout, Ob'ika. We've already told you several times you don't have to choose one of them, it is only for appearance's sake. You don't want to start another civil war, do you?"

Obi-Wan pouted even more.

"A _whole day_ of enduring Pre Vizsla and Satine Kryze? I might punch one of them."

"You won't", Arkan replied, smiling. "C'mon, you know the importance of schmoozing to the powerful."

"Being _Mand'alor be'aliit_ sucks", Obi-Wan protested.

They knew it was just for the form - Obi-Wan, as a skilled fighter, accomplished diplomat, Force-user and _ad_ of the current _Mand'alor_ would be a very interesting party, for anyone. By playing the part of a spoiled brat, he kept most at bay - at barely nineteen, he had absolutely no desire to get married. And, maybe, they all enjoyed to play with that delusion.

There was still time, after all, for their _Ob'ika_ to find a worthy _riduur_.

**Author's Note:**

>  _Ni kar'tayli gai sa'ad_ : I know your name as my child (adoption vows).  
>  _Olarom o'r Driss aliit_ : Welcome in Clan Driss.
> 
> In case you were wondering: after Melida-Daan, the Mandalorians realized they had easily united to save children - all thanks to Ashya's coordination. She became Mand'alor some time after that, re-uniting Death Watch, Old Clans and New Mandalorians under the same ruler.
> 
> I know the end feels like an opening, because I kept imagining Jango crashing the "party" to become one of the suitors. (Obi-Wan would beat him with a stick.)

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